Military history itinerary

Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk, Seymour. Image: Melanie Ball

Overview

Military history itinerary

Discover the rich military history of the Goulburn River Valley. Beginning in Seymour, this fascinating 334-kilometre itinerary takes in major military landmarks, museums and memorials in Euroa, Benalla, Shepparton, Tatura, Murchison and Eildon.

Located on the functioning Puckapunyal Military Base, the RAAC Memorial & Army Tank Museum is home to over 70 Armoured Fighting Vehicles, making it one of the largest armour museums in Australia.

4. Honouring Our Heroes
VC Memorial Park, 19 Kirkland Avenue, Euroa

Euroa is the only town in the Commonwealth to have been home to three Victoria Cross recipients. Statues honouring Lieutenant Frederick Tubb, Corporal Alexander Burton and Lieutenant Leslie Maygar stand in the Euroa VC Memorial Park.

A granite monument commemorates Captain Hector 'Hec' Waller as an outstanding naval officer who served during both World Wars. It is also a tribute to all men and women lost at sea on operational service.

A moving sculpture commemorates soldier-surgeon and Australian war hero, Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop. As a prisoner of war during World War II in Singapore, Sir Dunlop worked as a doctor saving men from the harsh conditions of camp life.

7. Benalla Aviation Museum
57 Samaria Road, Benalla

The historic home of the No. 11 EFTS Squadron, stationed at Benalla airfield during World War II. The Museum offers a fascinating look at Australia's military air training history plus passenger flights in restored military aircraft.

The Shepparton Cenotaph commemorates those who served in the various conflicts in which Australia has been involved. View the 'Helping Hand' sculpture by Web Gilbert, and the 'Mateship' sculpture by Bela Angyal.

9. Tatura Irrigation & Wartime Camps Museum
49 Hogan Street, Tatura

A unique collection of the history surrounding the three prisoner of war and four internment camps that were established during World War II in Tatura and surrounding areas.

10. German War Cemetery
Tatura Cemetery, Mulcahy Road, Tatura

The final resting place for 250 German POWs and civilian internees who died during both World Wars. The remains of each individual were brought from cemeteries across Australia to be interred in one commemorative place.

A statue honouring Private Robert Mactier stands in the Robert Mactier V.C. Memorial Gardens in Tatura along with an obelisk commemorating those who served during World War I, World War II and Vietnam.

12. Italian Ossario
Murchison Cemetery, Willoughby Street, Murchison

This Italian style Mausoleum commemorates and contains the remains of Italian World War II Prisoners of War and detainees whose original graves were badly damaged by floods.

The Avenue is the grandest and largest of Victoria's World War II commemorative plantings. Fen Woodburn planted 2457 trees between 1945 and 1949 initially as a memorial to his son Sergeant Calder Woodburn.

14. A4-4 AVRO Anson Memorial Track
Mt Torbreck, Eildon

A 2.4 kilometre uphill walk leads to the crash site and memorial of an RAAF Avro Anson aircraft which crashed on the north-east face of Mount Torbreck near Eildon in 1940, killing all four crew.